ABC Countdown.

We will be counting down the last days of school with a countdown calendar of fun activities.  The calendar was sent home.  Reminders for certain activities will be in the student planner :)

Multiplication Strategies.

Students are feeling more confident with multiplication.  After being exposed to the different strategies, students are becoming more fluent in working with their facts.  We will continue to apply the knowledge of multiplication with word problems. Encourage your child to share the strategies with you.  It's important for students to explain the steps and the reason the strategy works.

Reptiles.

Reptiles are an amazing animal group.  Many students have misconceptions about them and get them confused with amphibians.  We learned the 5 distinguishing characteristics today.

• have a backbone
• are cold-blooded
• most lay eggs
• breathe air 
• have scales 

Students continue to take notes and record their schema, wondering and new learning in their Science Notebooks. 

Exploring Animals.

Students are learning to research and doing a great job.  The San Diego Zoo has a great website to explore and learn more about animals of different groups.  The photos are wonderful and provide lots of interesting facts for students to read and learn more!

Click HERE to visit the SanDiego Zoo.

Live Eagles.

We have been discussing birds this week.  Students have been learning new vocabulary and noticing nonfiction text features in their reading.  Students are beginning to understand the key traits that make a bird: 

• backbone
• feathers and wings 
• lay eggs
• warm-blooded
• breathe air 

We watched a live cam today featuring bald eagles in Minnesota. I am posting the link for students to share and admire them from home. 

Click here ----------> Minnesota Eagles

Introducing Mealworms!

Students are excited about our new "class pet." Students will learn about how this animal lives and grows alongside our Science unit exploring all of the animal groups.  Students observed them yesterday.

Author's Purpose.

Students are digging further into their reading and identifying the author's purpose.  Students are tying it to evidence from the story to prove. Students learned a mnemonic device to help them remember.

Specifically, we will focus on nonfiction and determining importance as well as looking at the text features noticing how and why the author wrote the book.

Research.

Students are building on their research skills.  They will get opportunities to do so in library, the computer lab and in class.  Students will understand how to gather information from multiple sources, take notes and give credit to the author. All of this will go hand in hand with our science unit on animals.

Research Insects here

Wrapping up Poetry!

Students have been doing an amazing job with Poetry.  We have been exploring it in reading and applying it in writing.  Students have learned several different kinds of poems.  Ask them about each!

• ABAB Rhyming
• Limerick
• Haiku
• Repeating Poem
• List 
• Acrostic
• Diamante  <----- Click here to write and publish a diamante poem.

Students worked together in groups to come up with a food and animal poem.  I was impressed with their ability to work together and brainstorm great ideas while applying the poetry aspects.

Science: Animal Groups.

We are starting a unit on Animals. Students will learn about the 6 different groups: Fish, Birds, Amphibians, Reptiles, Mammals and Insects.  Yesterday students watched a video about the different groups as an introduction.  Students are anxious to learn more!

video

Spring Break Challenge.

Students were given a challenge to document practice over break.  I encouraged students to do what they could.  A simple parent initial in each box would mark their practice. Students are to bring them back Monday, April 4.